30 June 2014

This is the twentieth Example Character in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.A troll is probably not anyone's go to race for a Troubadour. However, they will certainly make an impression at any negotiation. This character is built as something of a skald who can also acquit themselves well on the battlefield.

Each Circle saw this character improve one attribute and take a new Talent Option. There are no Thread Items on this character, however unlikely it may be. Note: The entries in this series may be updated periodically as I master the coding to fit all eight of the Circles in a fashion which doesn't result in eye melting. Consider these living entries. Please leave comments if there is anyway this could be made more useful.

Despite the whole "being a troll" thing, the primary focus of this character is social. They should be able to handle any social situation with the variety of social talents at their disposal. Like all Troubadours, they are also talented at gathering information. What is notable about this particular character is their ability to contribute to combat. This is going to be an area where most Troubadours struggle. Between their impressive physical attributes and talent selection, this character should be above par for this discipline in a fight. The inherent danger is they may draw more attention than they can handle, at which point relying on their support and defensive abilities becomes a key strategy. Even this is hardly the end of the world since any attacks directed at them are freeing up their (hopefully) more combat capable comrades for the fight.

27 June 2014

This is the nineteenth Example Character in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.While a t'skrang may not seem a natural choice for a Beastmaster, it is actually a good fit. They have bonuses to Dexterity, Toughness, and Charisma, which are all important to a pet-style Beastmaster. Additionally, their Tail Combat racial ability is a natural fit with the Beastmaster's default Unarmed Combat.

Each Circle saw this character improve one attribute and take a new Talent Option. There are no Thread Items on this character, however unlikely it may be. Note: The entries in this series may be updated periodically as I master the coding to fit all eight of the Circles in a fashion which doesn't result in eye melting. Consider these living entries. Please leave comments if there is anyway this could be made more useful.

Here is an adept built around having animal companions. They are quite effective in a fight as well, but all of their talent options have been invested in having pets, or supporting them in some way. Leaving alone the world of selecting your animal companions and how to improve them with Animal Training and Enhance Animal Companion, there isn't much to say here.This adept is still offensively powerful, but defensively weak, though this variety doesn't have quite the mobility of the pure combat ork Beastmaster. Along with the Initiative and additional defensive talents (Acrobatic Strike and Lion Heart). Though a properly selected and trained menagerie can supplement all of these activities and provide support in some unexpected ways.

26 June 2014

This is the eighteenth Example Character in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.There is something about an ork which embodies the savage warrior spirit of a Beastmaster, so well. The fact they have complementary attributes and a nice stack of Karma certainly doesn't hurt either. It is worth noting this character can spend up to three Karma on Claw Shape damage tests.

Each Circle saw this character improve one attribute and take a new Talent Option. There are no Thread Items on this character, however unlikely it may be. Note: The entries in this series may be updated periodically as I master the coding to fit all eight of the Circles in a fashion which doesn't result in eye melting. Consider these living entries. Please leave comments if there is anyway this could be made more useful.

Swift, mobile, high damage, plenty of attacks - this adept gets into the thick of things quickly and begins wreak havoc. In combat Cobra Strike and Tiger Spring (along with minimalist armor) allow them to be in the highest tier of initiative, along with Warriors and some Swordmasters. Great Leap and Sprint mean there are very few hard to reach places for these adepts. Claw Shape, Down Strike, and one of their discipline Karma abilities give them exceptional damage. And Claw Frenzy is the best multiple attack talent available.With all of this, there are some pretty big downsides. The most glaring is defense - they don't have much. Starting with rather low Defense values and little which can be done about non-physical attacks (Lion Heart is the extent), they are tough, but unlikely to stand up to too much pressure. Even the Sky Raider has Fireblood to keep them going when it gets tough. This adept also has little in the way of tricks to bring out - keeping the pressure on and not letting up until the target stops twitching is going to be the best option. That, or using their mobility to make good an escape.Outside of combat there are a number of ways they can contribute. As long as that contribution is generally wilderness-centric. While most of their talents can translate easily to an urban setting (Dominate Beast works like a charm against guard animals and crows are huge gossips for anyone with Animal Talk), they are going to be most at home outside of a city.

25 June 2014

This is the seventeenth Example Character in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

In many games, the dwarf Warrior is an icon (typically they would be called a dwarf fighter and usually speak with a terribly Scottish accent). Earthdawn is a little different, but this is almost certainly one of the most common combinations within the setting. Individually, they are not the most impressive adepts, but when they get together with friends, this character starts to become very dangerous.Each Circle saw this character improve one attribute and take a new Talent Option. There are no Thread Items on this character, however unlikely it may be. Note: The entries in this series may be updated periodically as I master the coding to fit all eight of the Circles in a fashion which doesn't result in eye melting. Consider these living entries. Please leave comments if there is anyway this could be made more useful.

Warriors have a lot of defensive abilities at their disposal. This particular adept is built around defense and battlefield control. They are the front line of their group and the leader when things get ugly. While they still bring a great deal of offensive power, their biggest strength is going to be aiding their comrades - drawing the attacks and enabling the rest of their group to seal the victory.Shield Bash is the first step to putting an opponent on the ground for everyone to mob, though attacks to Knockdown should be an attractive option with Waterfall Slam. Distract will allow a target to be singled out and potentially Disarmed to prevent any retribution against the Warrior. Tactics should provide a good benefit (for as long as it lasts) and everything else should support this adept in staying alive; providing a bulwark for their group to rally around.This character isn't going to get a lot of the glory, but they will enable victory in some very dark circumstances.

24 June 2014

This is the sixteenth Example Character in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

T'skrang Warriors are not as common as their Swordmaster brethren at the table, but they are still potent and one of the the houses is known for this discipline. While somewhat similar to a Swordmaster, these adepts are less flashy and more efficient. Which may be putting nicely; brutal could be more accurate.

Each Circle saw this character improve one attribute and take a new Talent Option. There are no Thread Items on this character, however unlikely it may be. Note: The entries in this series may be updated periodically as I master the coding to fit all eight of the Circles in a fashion which doesn't result in eye melting. Consider these living entries. Please leave comments if there is anyway this could be made more useful.

For the most part, this is a straight forward character. With an Initiative Step of 24, the are probably going to be able to find someone who has 10 less Initiative to use Air Dance. Applying Maneuver should give a good bonus which increases the chances of a Momentum Attack. Acrobatic Strike allows them to wade into the thick of things and Distract provides some benefit to the rest of their group. As well, Waterfall Strike will help to drop someone if they can cause a Wound.Defensively, they are in a good place (as are all Warriors by default), but it is their biggest weakness. Earth Skin and Lion Heart help shore up against mystic attacks, but they don't have any recourse against most social attacks (beyond what Lion Heart can do). Physically they aren't in a bad place, but their armor isn't amazing and while they have a lot of health, avoidance is going to be their first line of defense.Another weakness which is faced by most Warriors is mobility. This character doesn't have any tricks to get them unexpected places or anywhere quickly. Though with the level of violence they have to offer, it may not be important.

23 June 2014

This is the fifteenth Example Character in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

The obsidiman Warrior is one of the iconic characters in Earthdawn. Enormously powerful, but with a quiet fortitude puts them in contrast with the other combat disciplines. This adept would never be considered a "people person".Each Circle saw this character improve one attribute and take a new Talent Option. There are no Thread Items on this character, however unlikely it may be. Note: The entries in this series may be updated periodically as I master the coding to fit all eight of the Circles in a fashion which doesn't result in eye melting. Consider these living entries. Please leave comments if there is anyway this could be made more useful.

This adept is essentially raw power which has been unleashed. They are an offensive powerhouse; their damage is impressive, Initiative effectively at Step 23 using Air Dance and Tiger Spring, health ratings and Wound Thresholds put up some very impressive numbers, and this is before Wood Skin is added, which will give around another 17 without Karma (putting Unconsciousness and Death up to 122 and 138 respectively), multiple attacks, and numerous ways to stay in the fight for far longer than any opponent wants to come to terms with.On the surface, they are pretty simple: point in the direction things need to be broken and wait as everything is slowly broken. However, there are a couple of tricks this adept employs. The first is Swift Kick; this talent is used exclusively for attacking to Knockdown. Even with a massive strength, there isn't much to be gained from damage against a reasonably armored opponent. However, when coupled with Waterfall Slam, opponents tend to fall over. Which sets up attacks against a downed opponent, which are more likely to trigger a Momentum Attack.Mystic attacks are something of a weakness, though Earth Skin and Lion Heart both provide some breathing room. Not a lot, but some. Their most significant weaknesses are social attacks and mobility. Despite their impressive reflexes, they cannot dominate the field with movement. They may barely participate.Outside of combat this adept has virtually nothing to offer. They are simply a staid guardian, waiting for their next battle.

20 June 2014

This is the fourteenth Example Character in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

Here is a character which is not a natural fit and outside of the t'skrang sub-race, k'stulaami, virtually unheard. In fact, this discipline has been modified slightly for an entirely different iconic character: the t'skrang Boatman. Each Circle saw this character improve one attribute and take a new Talent Option. There are no Thread Items on this character, however unlikely it may be. Note: The entries in this series may be updated periodically as I master the coding to fit all eight of the Circles in a fashion which doesn't result in eye melting. Consider these living entries. Please leave comments if there is anyway this could be made more useful.

Let's face it, this character is a river pirate. Two talents (Air Sailing and Wind Catcher) were switched for two talents more appropriate for life on a river rather than in the clouds. Otherwise, this is a good fit.As far as the river pirate goes, while they are still oriented to their group, they are significantly more aggressive and have little interest in playing fair. They are designed to quickly engage, hit hard, and withdraw easily if things are going to be more difficult than was initially anticipated.Defensively, they are simply weaker than their dwarf counterpart. They lack quite the same degree of abilities to support the group and handle as wide a variety of situations (specifically Distract). When they can keep the pressure on, particularly if an ally is using Distract, they are quite dangerous. When tides shift against them, there isn't much to fall back upon.

19 June 2014

This is the thirteenth Example Character in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

Despite how strange the combination seems, dwarfs are probably the most common Air Sailors in Barsaive. However, I doubt there will ever be a demographic breakdown for each discipline to back up the claim. So let's just go with it for now.Each Circle saw this character improve one attribute and take a new Talent Option. There are no Thread Items on this character, however unlikely it may be. Note: The entries in this series may be updated periodically as I master the coding to fit all eight of the Circles in a fashion which doesn't result in eye melting. Consider these living entries. Please leave comments if there is anyway this could be made more useful.

This is a reasonable example of what you may see from an officer on board an air ship, one with no particular designs on actually being a captain. They can handle social situations, procure and sell goods, work the ship, coordinate allies, etc. Above all else, they are a team player, out for their allies before themselves.There are a number of different tactics this adept can employ in combat based on the encounter. In protracted encounters, Inspire Others is going to be a key talent. Against stronger opponents, Distract will benefit the group. Air Dance, Battle Bellow, and Maneuver will always be good - though against opponents which are very fast (Beastmaster, Swordmasters, and Warriors), Air Dance is useful only to reduce/prevent the effects of your opponent's talents, rather than have a proactive benefit. With the Strain cost, it may not be worth using every round.They have a nice selection of defensive talents to help against a variety of attacks, though mystic effects are going to be a weakness as Lion Heart will only help against the control-style effects. Additionally, despite their combat-readiness, they don't have the Strain to last very long and this selection of talents doesn't pack much offensive punch. This adept is going to be at their strongest when supporting their allies.

18 June 2014

This is the twelfth Example Character in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

While not iconic, this is certainly popular combination. The idea of a enormous, solemn rock man working tirelessly in a forge, only to come out when needed and lay the smack down is certainly an appealing one.Each Circle saw this character improve one attribute and take a new Talent Option. There are no Thread Items on this character, however unlikely it may be. Note: The entries in this series may be updated periodically as I master the coding to fit all eight of the Circles in a fashion which doesn't result in eye melting. Consider these living entries. Please leave comments if there is anyway this could be made more useful.

Discipline:WeaponsmithRace:ObsidimanAttributes:DEX: 13 (6) STR: 22 (9) TOU: 19 (8)PER: 16 (7) WIL: 16 (7) CHA: 7 (4)Characteristics:Initiative: 1 (Recommended: Crystal Plate [-5])Physical Defense: 10 (Recommended: Crystal Buckler [+1])Mystic Defense: 13 (Recommended: Crystal Buckler [+1])Social Defense: 5Physical Armor: 16 (Recommended: Crystal Plate, Forged +6 [13])Mystic Armor: 13 (Recommended: Crystal Plate, Forged +3 [10])Damage: 24 (Recommended: Troll Sword, Forged +9 [15])Unconsciousness: 78 (87, Temper Flesh)Death: 94 (103, Temper Flesh)Wound Threshold: 14 (23, Temper Flesh)Recovery Tests: 5Knockdown: 17Karma: 24Karma: Craft/repair items, Recovery Tests, Damage tests with weapons adept crafted.Talents: Forge Weapon: 9 (16)Item History: 8 (15)Melee Weapons: 9 (15)Steel Thought: 9 (16)Thread Smithing: 8 (15)Craftsman: 8 (15)Shield Bash: 8 (17)Conversation: 8 (12)Fireblood: 8 (16)Suppress Curse: 8 (15)Avoid Blow: 8 (14)Wound Balance: 8 (17)Awareness: 6 (13)Forge Armor: 9 (16)Earth Skin: 8 (15)Temper Flesh: 9 (16)Fire Heal: 8 (15)Spot Armor Flaw: 8 (15)Resist Taunt: 8 (15)Lion Heart: 9 (16)Battle Shout: 8 (12)In contrast to the dwarf Weaponsmith, this is not a well-rounded character. To call this adept gruff would be putting it nicely. I imagine they are interested in doing their duty and doing it very well, but do not have the time for those of a flightly nature. Which would be most everyone. This adept is likely to be the soul of a group as well, but a group which probably spends most of its time hunting Horrors in the darkest places and returning alive time and time again.This obsidiman Weaponsmith is no nonsense and incredibly dangerous in combat. While still not a full combat discipline, they come very close. Weaponsmiths are still primarily defensive, but the sheer power of an obsidiman supplemented with Spot Armor Flaw, Shield Bash, and Battle Shout allows them more offensive power. This is the kind of adept which haunts the nightmares of spellcasters and Horrors alike. Their arsenal of active defenses (they have collected them all) means there is little which they do not have a chance to shrug off.Beyond their speed, which is remarkably slow, this adept is very susceptible to social attacks. Once they get access to Resist Taunt, this problem will become less significant (as it uses Willpower, rather than Charisma, an attribute of which they have plenty).

17 June 2014

This is the eleventh Example Character in an ongoing series about Earthdawn. Introduction and Index.

Throughout the fantasy genre, the iconic smiths have always been dwarfs. This stretches back to the very origins of the genre in mythology. Earthdawn is no different and it is a case where the mechanics are a good fit for the archetype.Each Circle saw this character improve one attribute and take a new Talent Option. There are no Thread Items on this character, however unlikely it may be. Note: The entries in this series may be updated periodically as I master the coding to fit all eight of the Circles in a fashion which doesn't result in eye melting. Consider these living entries. Please leave comments if there is anyway this could be made more useful.

Discipline:WeaponsmithRace:DwarfAttributes:DEX: 14 (6) STR: 13 (6) TOU: 16 (7)PER: 16 (7) WIL: 16 (7) CHA: 16 (7)Characteristics:Initiative: 1 (Recommended: Crystal Plate [-5] )Physical Defense: 10 (Recommended: Crystal Buckler [+1])Mystic Defense: 13 (Recommended: Crystal Buckler [+1])Social Defense: 9Physical Armor: 13 (Recommended: Crystal Plate, Forged +6 [13])Mystic Armor: 13 (Recommended: Crystal Plate, Forged +3 [10])Damage: 20 (Recommended: Scythan Axe, Forged +9 [14])Unconsciousness: 72 (81, Temper Flesh)Death: 87 (96, Temper Flesh)Wound Threshold: 10 (19, Temper Flesh)Recovery Tests: 4Knockdown: 14Karma: 32Karma: Craft/repair items, Recovery Tests, Damage tests with weapons adept crafted.Talents: Forge Weapon: 9 (16)Item History: 8 (15)Melee Weapons: 9 (15)Steel Thought: 9 (16)Thread Smithing: 8 (15)Craftsman: 8 (15)First Impression: 8 (15)Conversation: 8 (15)Avoid Blow: 8 (14)Suppress Curse: 8 (15)Haggle: 8 (15)Wound Balance: 8 (14)Fireblood: 8 (15)Forge Armor: 9 (16)Fire Heal: 8 (15)Temper Flesh: 9 (16)Earth Skin: 8 (15)Spot Armor Flaw: 8 (15)Etiquette: 6 (13)Lion Heart: 9 (16)Diplomacy: 6 (13)This is a well rounded character who can hold their own in combat, even though it isn't their specialty. This dwarf Weaponsmith is the soul of its group. This adept isn't going to be slick like a Swordmaster or Troubadour, but they will be able to steadily gain respect and favor in any community, eventually winning over everyone and gaining their trust. Within their group, they make a perfect mediator and are going to be what sees everyone through the darkest times.In combat, this adept is tough as the armor they forge and an absolute terror to any spellcaster. While most combatants are weakest against magicians, this is the area where this dwarf shines. With an exceptional Mystic Defense, almost certainly bolstered with Earth Skin, and Mystic Armor, Steel Thought, Lion Heart, and Suppress Curse, it is a difficult task just to get anything to stick. While most of their talents are defensive, it doesn't take much to crack a spellcaster and Spot Armor Flaw is going to help considerably.Their biggest weakness is a lack of overall offensive power and while they can withstand considerable punishment (helped along by Fireblood, Fire Heal, and Temper Flesh), the still are not actually a combat character. Despite their tenacity, they will do well to remember this isn't actually a Warrior. Which means they should definitely pick on the spellcasters, allowing the juggernauts to duke it out in the meantime.

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As a gamer for over 25 years, I would love nothing more than to chat with people about games. Always looking for new folks and new games and I'm writing a blog about gaming. What are your favorite games?